Introducing Lauren Langfield, one of Australia's most promising winemakers!

Good day, and a warm welcome!

This week, Winemakers On Fire is proud to feature Lauren Langfield, a winemaker who's turning heads in the Australian wine industry. At just 33 years old, Langfield has already earned the prestigious Young Gun of Wine award and is revolutionising winemaking at Orbis Wines.

With a passion for organic, biodynamic, and regenerative practices, Langfield's commitment to sustainability and crafting exceptional wines is truly inspiring.

Discover her unique journey and learn how she's breaking barriers as a young female leader in a male-dominated field. Don't miss this opportunity to get to know one of Australia's most promising winemakers!

Discover the Inspiring Journey of Lauren Langfield: The Winemaker Who's Challenging Norms in the Australian Wine Industry

Step into the world of Lauren Langfield, a trailblazing winemaker who's shaking up the Australian wine scene. At just 33, her fearless and innovative spirit earned her the prestigious Young Gun of Wine award in 2023—a first for an employee of a wine business. As winemaker, general manager, and vineyard manager at Orbis Wines, Langfield is pioneering change in the industry with her relentless pursuit of excellence.

In our exclusive interview, Langfield shares her winemaking philosophy and passion for sustainable practices that protect the natural purity of the fruit. Her commitment to organic, biodynamic, and regenerative farming reflects her dedication to preserving the hard work of grape growers. With her own label, Lauren Langfield Wines, she continues to challenge preconceptions and create modern, expressive wines from classic varieties. Join us as we explore her inspiring journey and gain valuable insights from this young female leader who's breaking barriers in a male-dominated field.

Congratulations on being named a finalist for The Advertiser Sunday Mail Woman of the Year Awards for 2024! What does this recognition mean to you as a winemaker and leader in the industry?

When I received the email with the news of my nomination, I quickly googled the awards just to make sure it wasn’t spam. My natural instinct was to assume it was a mistake. Then, when I saw the list of the other nominees, which included inspirational women in wine such as Corrina Wright and Kate Goodman, I was proud to be there alongside them.

I work hard because I love what I do, and I love being part of the Australian wine industry. The recognition of that hard work is really nice to receive. The awards ceremony at Sky City was a nice pat on the back in the middle of vintage this year, and there was a good spike of inspiration from the guest speakers and award winners.

You made history in 2023 as the first employee of a wine business to win the prestigious Young Gun of Wine award. What do you think allowed you to stand out and achieve this first?

I was told this was because I have been instrumental in introducing sweeping changes at Orbis Wines, from packaging choices to production processes, wine styles, and new wine products to forming new distribution channels and marketing relationships, as well as changes made in the vineyard management as well. I’m aiming to produce earlier picked and brighter, more youthful expressions of McLaren Vale varieties, which have greater natural acidity and lower alcohols where possible.

For a lot of employee winemakers, they tend to work within quite strict parameters in their day jobs. Wine styles, blends, and product lines are already determined, and it’s not often that winemakers are able to drive change across the whole brand they work for. It’s usually within their side hustle where they can take greater risks and be more experimental in the cellar, which is why most winemakers win with their passion projects. I am lucky that I have supportive employers who have given me the opportunity to innovate and take risks in my role at Orbis.

Can you describe your winemaking philosophy and approach, especially as it relates to organic, biodynamic, and regenerative practices?

It’s in the vineyard where my love of the wine started. My first jobs were working in vineyards in New Zealand and then here in Australia. I find it much more exciting to learn about developments in viticulture than I do about winemaking. 

Thinking about the wines I love to drink and the wines that I take inspiration from, these are less manipulated and allow more fruit purity to shine. It’s a long growing season and a lot of hard work for growers. No one wants the winemaker to come along at the end and mess it all up!

Organic and regenerative farming practices all have a lot in common: both require a change of mindset around how we farm, taking an approach that considers the whole farming matrix, not just one crop or one pest, but looking at the bigger picture of vineyard health.

The more these systems are implemented, they become normalised, and industry already recognises a lot of these systems as ‘Best Practice.’ Personally, I think it is critical for Australian grape growers to adapt to longer-term farming systems and practices, and it’s a way forward for the future of Australian Wine. There is no room for short-term farming choices anymore.

“I think it is critical for Australian grape growers to adapt to longer-term farming systems and practices, and it’s a way forward for the future of Australian wine. There is no room for short-term farming choices anymore.” Lauren Langfield.

McLaren Vale seems to be a special region for you. What drew you there and what makes its terroir so compelling for your wines?

While completing my winemaking and viticulture studies in New Zealand, more often than not, our textbooks and research papers were all coming from Australia. Vineyards are pretty young on the other side of the ditch too, so when I moved to Australia, I enjoyed learning about the history of winegrowing here.  The McLaren Vale wine region is one of the oldest and most historically significant wine regions in Australia.

There’s also been a lot of research done into the ancient soils of McLaren Vale, and the district geology mapping work really interested me. I still have a lot to learn about the 500-million-year-old soils, and it's great to see a wine region making such a detailed effort towards understanding its terroir.

Nearly 40 percent of our region’s area under vine is certified organic and/or biodynamic, and many more producers are incorporating organic, biodynamic, and regenerative practices into their vineyards. I thought it would be a great region where I could find likeminded people and plenty of people to learn from as well.

At Orbis Wines, you wear multiple hats as a winemaker, general manager, and vineyard manager. How do you balance these different roles and responsibilities?

It’s a lot to cover, and there’s always lots to do—I have gotten really good at writing lists!

Your own Lauren Langfield Wines label won Best New Act at the Young Gun of Wine Awards in 2022. What was the inspiration behind starting this personal project?

I started Lauren Langfield Wines in 2020 after some good friends, Gareth and Rainbo Belton of Gentle Folk Wines, encouraged me and helped me start with sourcing my first grapes. I was quite intimidated by the industry at this time and assumed that I didn’t have the skills or knowledge to establish my own brand; I didn’t understand licencing or WET. How could I start a label? Once I began, though, I realised there were plenty of people who wanted to help; I just needed to ask.

My first wines were in 2021, a Sauvignon Blanc and a Merlot, both from the same vineyard in Norton Summit in the Adelaide Hills. I love drinking both of those varieties, but both have bad reputations in Australia. My plan was to make delicious wines that challenged preconceptions about them.

Now my wine label has expanded to include Grenache, Cabernet Franc, and Chardonnay, and in 2025 I will have a Cabernet too. I aim to make modern, expressive wines from classic varieties that honour the varietal nuances of the grapes and the South Australian regions I source them from.

The wine industry has traditionally been male-dominated. As a young female leader, what hurdles, if any, have you faced, and what advice do you have for other women looking to make their mark?

The Australian wine industry certainly has room for improvement—more diversity, greater inclusion, and greater gender equity to start with. That said, McLaren Vale has been one of the friendliest and most community minded regions I have worked in, with lots of fantastic opportunities for women in the region.

It took me a while to learn this lesson, but my advice would be to don’t let noise or industry jargon intimidate you in a professional wine setting. Often, the people who talk the most know the least!

What new innovations, varietals, or styles are you most excited to be working with or exploring in the coming years, both at Orbis and your eponymous label?

I spend a lot of time working on innovations in my role at Orbis. We have completed plenty of new plantings over the last few years, giving me lots of new varieties to play with in the winery, and we have plenty of innovations going on in the vineyard too. Our varieties grown on the estate have reached 10 now, including Montepulciano, Cinsault, Grenache, Trousseau, Garganega, Nero, Tempranillo, Fiano, and Albarino, along with our flagship crop, Shiraz. 

I was selected as 1 of 3 winemakers for the Langhorne Creek Project 5255 this year, along with winemakers Anita Goode from Wangolina and Brendan Keys from BK Wines. Lauren Langfield Wines was gifted a 2T parcel of Certified Organic and SWA Cabernet Franc, which is a new variety for the wine label, from a new region to me as well. It’s been a fantastic project to be part of, meeting growers and visiting vineyards. I’ve been able to learn a lot from the people in the region, and they’ve offered a lot of support too.

I’ve been completing the SAYES (South Australian Young Entrepreneurs Scheme) entrepreneurial programme with Business SA over the last year, which has been instrumental in helping me run the business of Lauren Langfield Wines. My mentor, Business SA CEO Andrew Kay, and the whole team at Business SA have been fantastic and very supportive too. I’ve learned more about marketing, growth strategies, finance, and planning. Unfortunately, the SAYES programme is at risk of losing its government funding, which would be a real loss for entrepreneurs like myself.

The labels for Lauren Langfield Wines have been an evolution, starting with an abstract landscape painting I completed myself. This vintage, I have refined them a little more, using elements of my original artwork and introducing a little gold foil for visual appeal. I worked with the printing company Label Avenue to make these tweaks, which I’m sure will continue to evolve as I go on each year.

Discover the Future of Australian Winemaking with Lauren Langfield

Lauren Langfield's interview highlights the key components that shape the future of Australian wine. Her insights reveal a path that combines sustainability, innovation, and inclusivity.

1. Embracing Sustainable and Regenerative Practices: Langfield emphasises the importance of adopting long-term farming systems and practices like organic and regenerative methods. She believes these practices are essential for the future of Australian wine, and her dedication to viticulture and natural fruit purity reflects her commitment to sustainable winemaking.

1. Pioneering Winemaking through Innovation: Langfield's willingness to introduce changes across packaging, production processes, wine styles, and distribution channels showcases her dedication to pushing boundaries. Her own label demonstrates her commitment to creating modern, expressive wines that redefine classic varieties.

1. Breaking Barriers and Empowering Women in Wine: As a female leader in a male-dominated industry, Langfield recognises the need for diversity and inclusion. Despite challenges, she has found support in regions like McLaren Vale. Her advice to other women encourages confidence and breaking down industry jargon barriers.

Lauren Langfield's insights offer valuable lessons for the future of winemaking, focusing on sustainable practices, innovative approaches, and fostering an inclusive environment for all.

Lauren, thank you for generously sharing your winemaking philosophy with us. We're grateful for your insights and wish you continued success in your pioneering work.

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Photo by Daniel Thomas on Unsplash.

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